Apple HomeView Debuts With 7-Inch Display, Siri AI and Smart Home Controls

Apple has announced HomeView, a $299 smart home hub with a 7-inch display, built-in speaker and Siri AI. The device is designed for shared household use, can sit on a table or mount to a wall, supports up to six users and is scheduled to ship on November 13.

HomeView uses facial recognition to identify who is in front of the device and adjust what it shows. Apple said the screen can surface information from Messages, Photos, Calendar and Reminders based on the person using it, with Apple Intelligence powering the personalized experience.

The device also works as a control center for connected home products. Users can view camera feeds, change thermostat settings, lock doors and manage other compatible devices. Apple said adding a new smart home product can be handled with a single tap from an iPhone.

Siri AI is a central part of the product. Apple said users can ask broad questions, carry on conversations and continue those exchanges on an iPhone or iPad. HomeView can also make FaceTime calls, display photos and play music through its integrated speaker.

“It recognizes your face to shift from a household screen to your own experience, fills the room with incredible sound, keeps you connected to the people who matter most with FaceTime, and makes it easy to control your smart home,” Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak said.

HomeView runs on Apple’s A18 chip. Apple also said its interface changes according to how far away a person is, presenting simpler information at a distance and more detail as someone moves closer.

The company is also tying the device more closely to its home security features. With a supported iCloud+ subscription and compatible cameras, HomeView can recognize people, familiar faces, pets, packages and vehicles. Apple said HomeKit Secure Video can provide descriptions of recorded footage so users can understand what happened without watching the full clip.

Apple is emphasizing privacy across the new home products. The company said compatible Apple Home Collection accessories use encryption so that data is visible only to the user and people with whom access has been shared. Siri requests can be processed on the device or through Private Cloud Compute, where Apple says the data is neither stored nor made accessible to the company or others.

HomeView can also display as many as nine live camera feeds at once. Its LCD screen supports automatic brightness adjustment based on room conditions.

The tabletop model comes in silver, starlight, rose pink and space gray. The wall-mounted version is available in silver and space gray and requires a separate Schneider Home mount starting at $60.

HomeView is part of a broader smart home hardware update from Apple. The company also introduced a new Apple TV 4K for $299 and refreshed the HomePod Mini, which now costs $149 and comes in additional colors.

The Apple TV 4K includes a redesigned remote that can emit a sound when misplaced. Both the new Apple TV and HomePod Mini support Apple’s updated Siri capabilities.

The launches are the second major product event under CEO John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook at the beginning of September. Apple introduced new iPhones last month, including the nearly $2,000 foldable iPhone Duo.

Apple’s home products sit inside its Wearables, Home and Accessories segment, which generated $7.88 billion in sales in the most recent quarter ended in June, representing about 7% of total company revenue.

HomeView is positioned as a more central part of Apple’s connected-home strategy, combining personalized household information, Siri AI, communications and smart device controls in a single screen.

“Apple always waits for an ecosystem to develop first until they are positive they can provide a stellar user experience,” Parks Associates principal analyst Jennifer Kent said.

Apple has also announced support for connected products from companies including LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. The company’s home platform can coordinate devices such as locks, cameras and doorbells.

“They are going above and beyond what a lot of other companies do when it comes to privacy and security protections,” Kent said.

Apple opened preorders for HomeView and plans to begin shipping the device on November 13.

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This analysis is based on reporting from CNBC.

Images courtesy of Apple.

This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.